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Karen’s Corner: Small space gardening considerations (for balconies, patios, etc.)

May 5, 2024

If you live or garden in a small space, this blog is for you! I am including some reference articles on gardening on your balcony. There is a lot to share, and I may have missed some points. Always think safety first! As stated before I am not an expert on gardening, but hope I can share some tips on adaptive gardening. I have tips based on over 10 years of living with Ataxia and adjusting from in-ground to container gardening. I am just now starting a raised bed garden for the first time and also enjoy hydroponic gardening (more about that in a later blog).

In addition to the following links, please search for more online. I claim no expertise, but share adaptive tips based on gardening on my deck and at my front door. I do not seek to re-invent the (gardening) wheel.

SOME TIPS FOR YOU

Start Small

Decide if you will grow flowers or edibles.
Don’t be over ambitious: enjoy the small successes first.
It’s okay to start with just one or two plants.

Stay Seated!

Most of what you want to accomplish can be done from a chair
If you must hold a heavy object, do it while seated, with the object being carried aways front and center to your body (keep your balance)

Determine your gardening workspace

I use my patio table and a patio chair with a 4” cushion
Make sure there is room for all your tools and supplies
Allow room for your easy access to bags of soil, compost & mulch
Keep your walking/rolling path free of objects and debris
Have a “Reacher” handy
Set up your space in advance of gardening tasks

Long-handle tools

Use long-handle gardening tools to minimize the need for bending

Always wear gardening gloves!

If needed, I have long length rose gloves meant to protect you from skin pricks on your arms.
There are many other styles of gloves available, including cotton, plastic coated, and leather.

*A wrist-length pair of gardening gloves with a beautiful design in purple with red, turquoise and yellow:*

Determine your USDA planting zone, and available LIGHT

https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/

Research plants by light need: Full sun, Shade, Part Shade

As tempting as it is, do not buy flowers/plants on impulse!

Do some online research:

Suitable plants for containers or raised bed gardens
Plants that will thrive for the available light on your balcony
Level of maintenance, i.e., pruning, watering, nutrients required

Figure out how you will get water to your plants!

I keep covered 5 or 10 gallon buckets/containers on my deck
I leave them open to catch rain
My gardening ‘partners’ refill them as needed
I DUNK/submerge smaller plants in a container filled with water, that includes baskets, rather than ‘sprinkle them with water (waters more thoroughly).
For intermittent watering, I use a sturdy tray to carry a collapsible watering can on my rollator (see image below, left). I carry it to the patio door while seated, then transfer to the walker I use on the patio (see image below, right):

For large containers, I snip off the bottom of a soda/pop plastic bottle and bury it upside-down, cap removed, partially in the soil. That makes watering directly to the plant roots easy! Here are two photos:

On left, a close-up of a green soda bottle turned upside down in the dirt of a potted plant. The bottom is cut off. On the right, the same thing but from farther away.

MOST IMPORTANT!

Recruit a gardening partner
- It can be an experienced gardener, or “muscle” to move soil, water, etc. around for you…the heavy tasks
- Try to notify your gardening partner when you need their help in advance (I ask a few days ahead of time when I think I will need help and also let them know what type of help.)

A FEW MORE NOTES

To move around easily as well as ‘tote’ supplies, I bought 2 standard aluminum frame walkers at a thrift store ($4 each) and bought walker trays for each. For fun, I painted them and sealed the trays with resin. (not necessary—I just tend to be “extra” with decorating things!) Here’s a photo of one with a blue and white stripe and floral design:

REMEMBER: “Nothing ventured, Nothing gained.” Despite the pretty pictures, I have had some big gardening failures, all because I did not read or follow directions. Remember, vegetable gardening from your balcony is also possible, fun, fascinating and rewarding! HAPPY, JOYOUS GARDENING!

Links

Gloves: Here is an example of long, pick-proof rose gardening gloves. (Have fun finding a design you like – Laurel Burch Studios makes pretty ones, too!)
For vertical planters/plant bags/rail planters: Search online at Wayfair for biggest selection, then compare to other sites.
To keep mosquitoes away: Cover your water, or use Summit Mosquito Dunks, which are not toxic to birds and wildlife

Want to see my tools for accessible gardening in real life? Watch my video blog about gardening!

about the author

A black woman wearing a grey headband and silver earrings is smiling at the camera. She has grey hair styled in long thin locs and is wearing a blue jean jacket. There is green grass and sunshine in the background.

Hello! I’m Karen. The basics: happily married 33 years, 2 adult sons, and 2 adopted dogs (now 12 & 13); retired (twice) as an Operations Manager for a giant telecom company; post 2nd retirement went on to teach middle school Special Education (loved it) until my diagnosis with SCA III around 2009. I love just learning and all things creative. My hobbies include photography, furniture & decor up-cycling, gardening, dog behavior-modification training and genealogy. An absolute favorite item I hope to review is the Aerogarden indoor hydroponic gardening unit, which makes growing anything indoors from seed, flowers to salad greens & tomatoes, a breeze! My mantras: Someone said, “I don’t know how you do it.” I said, “I wasn’t given a choice.” And from poet Mary Oliver, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”